Gender-Role Stereotyping and Career Aspirations: A Comparison of Gifted Early Adolescent Boys and Girls

This study examined the career aspirations of gifted early adolescent boys and girls utilizing a career aspirations measure that differentiated between the careers that were still being considered by each student versus those that had been ruled out. Careers were classified by sex type (male dominated, female dominated, or balanced), education required (high school degree, college degree, graduate degree), and prestige associated with the career. Assessments of gender-related personality attributes, achievement motivation, and attitudes toward the rights and roles of women also were administered to provide information on the correlates of career aspirations among gifted early adolescent students (examined separately by gender). Results showed that girls were interested in a significantly greater number of careers (i.e., had ruled out fewer occupations than boys). Girls also showed greater gender-role flexibility in their career aspirations than their male counterparts. Boys aspired to careers that were significantly higher in education required and prestige level than girls. The strength and direction of the relationships between career aspirations and gender-related personality attributes and achievement motivation varied by gender. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for understanding the differing career development needs of gifted early adolescent boys and girls.